WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, recently joined a group of her Republican colleagues in a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to address a gap in coverage under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). In September, the USDA announced it would provide ELAP assistance for the cost of transporting feed to livestock, but producers who are transporting their livestock to feed are not eligible for the program.
“[W]e continue to hear from producers who have been severely affected by drought this year and have incurred costs related to transporting their livestock to feed sources instead of hauling feed to their livestock. Under current regulations, these producers are not eligible for ELAP transportation assistance. We respectfully request that FSA exercise its authority to further improve ELAP by providing payments to producers for a portion of the costs they have incurred from transporting their livestock to feed sources,” the senators wrote.
The letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
Text of the letter:
The Honorable Zach Ducheneaux
Administrator
U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C., 20250
Dear Administrator Ducheneaux:
As the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) continues working to assist farmers and ranchers affected by this year’s widespread and devastating drought, we write to request that the agency address a gap in coverage under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).
As you know, ELAP plays a critical role in assisting producers who face losses due to adverse weather events like the severe drought across the country this year. We appreciate USDA’s recent efforts to improve ELAP coverage by reimbursing producers for a portion of their feed transportation costs and by lowering the threshold for assistance for water transportation costs.
While livestock producers welcomed these improvements to ELAP assistance, we continue to hear from producers who have been severely affected by drought this year and have incurred costs related to transporting their livestock to feed sources instead of hauling feed to their livestock. Under current regulations, these producers are not eligible for ELAP transportation assistance. We respectfully request that FSA exercise its authority to further improve ELAP by providing payments to producers for a portion of the costs they have incurred from transporting their livestock to feed sources.
It is critically important that USDA disaster programs appropriately respond to the challenges that farmers and ranchers face during difficult times. Thank you for your efforts on behalf of U.S. agriculture and for your prompt consideration of this request.
